Backpacking Essentials: Types of Lightweight Cooking Stoves

Posted on July 17, 2018

There are so many different types of lightweight cooking stoves for your backcountry journey. Here’s how you choose the best one.

Backpacking is a more primitive and simpler way to experience camping. It often brings you closer to the wilderness, as you embark on trails less traveled deep into the backcountry. When it comes to backpacking, minimalism is key since everything you need must be carried on your back.

This is where equipment weight plays a huge role in the way you prepare for a backpacking trip. Depending on what you are looking for in your camp cooking experience, there are various types of lightweight cooking stoves that can become a part of your backpacking essentials. Whether you plan to go backpacking solo, with a few friends, want a larger pot, or want to keep it as simple as possible, we have a few options.

OmniFuel Stove

This is our most awarded stove in our camp cooking arsenal, so that’s saying something. The OmniFuel stove is the piece of equipment that will withstand and perform in almost any condition. Whether you’re in a high altitude climate, in the middle of a storm, or in high or low temperatures, this stove will get the meal done. Conveniently, this stove can operate on almost any fuel including Primus PowerGas canisters, gas, gasoline/petrol, diesel, kerosene/paraffin, and even aviation fuel. This is the stove you want if you plan to mountaineer.

Lite+

This lightweight cooking stove is a great all-in-one-option for a backpacker. The Lite+ is sturdy, lightweight, and compact, which is perfect for throwing in your pack. This camping stove can be used for a solo trip or also make coffee for two in a matter of minutes. Freeze dried meals are easy to make in the Lite+ as well, since it boils liquid quickly.

Classic Trail

The name says it all–it’s classic for a reason. The Classic Trail is simple and durable, just like a good lightweight cooking stove should be. This stove is also set at a great value, so if you’re just getting started with your backpacking adventures, the classic trail is a great place to start for keeping camp cooking easy and light.

Express Stove Set Piezo

Light, small, and minimal fuel-consumption–the Express Stove Set Piezo is perfect for longer solo backpacking trips. This stove comes equipped with a magnetized windscreen for when he weather gets rough, and has a low center of gravity so that cooking is made easier. If you plan to backpack in the spring, summer, and fall, this stove will fit perfectly in your pack and serve up great food for the three seasons.